Sept 1: Doctor’s Park

Sunday, Sept 1 8:00am Doctor’s Park 1870 E Fox Ln, Fox Point
Nice habitat with grasslands and wood edges on top the bluff and a trail through the woods to Lake Michigan. Bring your walking shoes while the trails are paved the hill is steep.
Restrooms and swing set available

EBird: HERE

Wisconsin Metro Audubon and Milwaukee Birders will host a Swift Night Out in September – Details to come! Let me know, if you know of a busy swift chimney in the Milwaukee area.

Fall migration is in progress. Lake Park Fall Warbler Walks this Saturday. See details below

Birdcast is running again. On the front page, heavy flight areas are highlighted in bright colors. Enter Milwaukee County on the Migration Dashboard to see local bird movement.

For additional SE Wisconsin Bird Walks – scroll all the way down!

Last Week:
We were last at Bender Park in April. The grasses were taller this time. Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinch, and Herring Gulls were abundant. We also saw five Turkey Vultures circling together. See full list HERE

Milwaukee parks that need birding this week

The county tracks every parkland and records to see if there are surveys recorded on eBird. Every year they identify priority parks by week. A park could be a priority because there are no surveys done in that week; or because there are surveys but they think there may be more species there than previously identified.

Based on the spreadsheet they create, Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society (Thanks Colleen) curates suggested locations based on accessibility to the property (some of the parkway locations are difficult to access) and availability on the ebird hotspots tool. Follow Wisconsin Metro Audubon on Facebook for their weekly park posts. Click on the triangle to see this week’s list.

Milwaukee Parks that need birding this week

Caesar Park
Gordon Park
Kern Park
Kosciuszko Park
Oak Creek Pkwy # 5
Oakwood-Fitzsimmons Woods- see note at end of list about this
Root River Parkway #1
For Oakwood-Fitzsimmons Woods: park at the golf course. You can walk the perimeter of the woods that are east of the practice area (don’t go into the driving range area though). Head north along the wooded edge, and then follow the asphalt trail for a bit and you will come to some grass trails that are mowed to the east of the course. Follow those as far as they go. Record in ebird as Oakwood golf course but in checklist comments mention Fitzsimmons Woods.

Please track your time spent! At the end of the year WMAS provides hours to the county. Find a park and a park map: https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Parks/Explore/Find-a-Park

Note- even if it’s already been birded this week, going another day (or a different time of day) helps. The parks department has a number of surveys it wants for each park, so birding more than once this week is very helpful!

Ongoing FREE Bird Walks:

Sundays 8:00am Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society Bird Walk (WMAS)
Wehr Nature Center 9701 W College Ave. No registration required.

Tues 8:00am Menomonee Valley Urban Ecology Center (UEC), 3700 W Pierce St
Wed 8:00am Washington Park Urban Ecology Center (UEC) 4023 W Galena St
Thurs 8:00am Riverside Park Urban Ecology Center (UEC) 1500 E Park Place

Third Saturdays 8:00am Schlitz Audubon Nature Center 1111 E Brown Deer Rd, Registration required, https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/saturday-morning-bird-walk-15/

Check out Chirp Chat episodes all about birding Milwaukee area on WUWM last Wednesday of the month

Nearby Bird Clubs to checkout:
Benjamin F. Goss Bird Club meets at Retzer Nature Center.
Hoy Audubon Society meets in Racine
Ozaukee Washington Birding Coalition meets at second Wednesdays at Riveredge Nature Center, Lac Lawrann in West Bend, Mequon Nature Preserve or Cedarburg Bog
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Bird Club second Wednesday at 6:30pm
Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society (WMAS), third Wednesday at 7:00pm Wehr Nature Center

Join one or more of the above bird clubs – Support local birding

Upcoming:

Have a birding event to share? Let me know, share on the Contact Page
Walks listed are FREE unless noted. Please register if requested

AUGUST

Fall Warbler Walks at Lake Park
Saturdays, Aug 23 – Sept 28 at 8:30
Meet at the feeders just south of the playground. See map left. Park in the playground lot (enter off Lincoln Memorial Drive) or on Locust Street in the park (entering off Lake Drive)

SEPTEMBER

WSO Field Trip: Green Bay for Fall Warblers
Saturday, Sept 7. Registration Required
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary offers good habitat for a nice assortment of migrating warblers. Several vireos (including Philadelphia) are often found, as well as various flycatchers, thrushes, etc. The lagoons provide a variety of ducks, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Green Heron, and Belted Kingfisher. Much of the morning will be spent on foot, so wear good walking shoes. Depending on conditions, we may also car caravan to visit other sites in the Green Bay area, and hope to find an assortment of shorebirds.

A Lesson in Fall Bird Identification by Mary Holleback and Carl Schwartz
Sept. 9 (Wednesday) at 7 p.m.
Hybrid live and Zoom program at Riveredge Nature Center; no registration required.
Are you baffled by confusing fall warblers? Do lbsb’s (little brown shorebirds) have you stumped? Would you like to impress other birders with your knowledge of hawk identification while watching them stream by the platform at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve? Then this program is for you. Mary Holleback, naturalist and citizen science manager at Riveredge, and Carl Schwartz, program coordinator for the Cutright Bird Club, will share some tips and tricks to help you ID some of Wisconsin’s most challenging fall migrants.
Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86162255800?pwd=8PxuvmS7vPOJ0xqnQJjtGh3DLeapH9.1

Class at Cedarburg Bog: Understanding Bird Populations and How They Change,
Thursdays 6:00-7:30pm, September 12 – October 17, 2024
Cedarburg Bog

Fall Big Sit with WI Metro Audubon
Saturday, Sept 12 7:00-11:00am at Wehr Nature Center
To celebrate World Migratory Bird Day and inspire a curiosity for birding, Wehr Nature Center is partnering with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society (WMAS) to host a “Big Sit.” Observe, meet experts, and enjoy a morning of listening and observing birds by both sight and sound all from the convenience of one stationary location. Birders of all ages, abilities, and levels are welcome to discover birds during migration at the South Pier (not the white one). Binoculars will be on hand for visitors to try. No experience necessary. We will share an on-going list of the birds observed and post results on eBird.org as well as www.bigsit.org. Questions contact Pat Fojut at ptfojut@gmail.com

Nature Book and Magazine Swap
followed by Rehabilitating Wisconsin Wildlife with Marty, founder of Wanakia Wildlife – WMAS Monthly Meeting
Wednesday Sept 18, 6:30-7:00pm and 7:00-8:30pm
Swap: Join us for our first ever book and magazine swap! Bring your nature-oriented books and magazines to exchange. Doors open at 6:30, and stay for our 7:00 program “Rehabilitation & Release of Native Animals with Wanakia Wildlife Center”. Free!
Talk : Marty will present information about the program and we will meet Animal Ambassadors to become aware of wildlife issues and ways we can help support wildlife. Wisconsin Metro Audubon will make a donation to Wanakia Wildlife and we encourage members and visitors to help support wildlife rehabilitation. Website: https://wanakia.org/

In-person and available online with pre-registration at this link.
https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZEqfu-rrTwjH9MATj…

Fall Migratory Birding Series with Nearby Nature
Saturday Sept 21 from 10:00am-Noon
Harriet Tubman Park 4750 N 48th St Milwaukee 53218
There will be one more birding day: October 19
Let’s gather together for an exciting event as our feathered friends gear up for their winter journey. Nearby Nature Milwaukee and Milwaukee County Parks are teaming up to bring the beauty of birdwatching right to your doorstep. Enjoy engaging birding education, arts and crafts activities, and more—all for FREE! Register here!

Raptor ID Workshop
Saturday, Sept 21 9:00-12:00pm, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center $40/$55
Have you ever wondered what kind of hawk is visiting your backyard? Or who is that mystery silhouette, soaring hundreds of feet overhead is? Join Raptor Educator, Cheyenne Smith, to learn the fundamentals of identifying Wisconsin raptors! With a visit from several of our raptor ambassadors, the first half of this workshop will offer an interactive exploration of birding principles, highlighting variations across raptor species to help you identify birds in the wild. During the second half, we’ll take a hike to put our newly learned skills to practice – at the height of fall migration, no less! Registration Required HERE

Exploring Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley
Sept 22, 11:00-1:00pm, Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley
Details to follow
Site here: https://www.bipocbirdingclub.org/events/urban-ecology-center-mv-2024

October

The “Big Sit” at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve
Oct 6 (Sunday) Starting at 6:30 a.m.
The Noel J. Cutright Bird Club, in cooperation with the Lake Michigan Bird Observatory and OWBC, will host its annual “Big Sit!” at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve, five miles north of Port Washington, on Sunday, Oct. 6. The count will begin at 6:30 a.m. on the Bill Cowart Memorial Hawk Watch Platform on the northeast corner of the preserve. The Sit’s 17-foot circle is on the perfectly-sized hawk watch platform at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve (4970 Country Club Rd., Port Washington). Since 2007, birders have recorded a total of 266 species at Forest Beach. Join us for a half-hour, or a half-day! And there will be donuts for the early birders. Questions: contact Carl Schwartz @ cschwartz3@wi.rr.com

WSO Field Trip: Harrington Beach Hawk Watch
10/6/24 or10/13/23 depending on weather conditions.
Registration Required
We begin our birding near the lower beach parking area of Harrington Beach State Park, initially checking the trees and lawn area for sparrows, warblers, kinglets, Hermit Thrushes, finches, etc. After an hour or so, the group will take a hike on some of the park’s roads or trails to look for additional species, and check the lake for waterfowl, gulls, loons and grebes. This park lies adjacent to Lake Michigan, which can help serve as a channel for migrants, including raptors, which can fly over in good numbers on days when migration conditions are conducive – usually meaning strong northwest or west winds. Please note that there is a state park entrance fee.
Later in the morning we may also venture south to Forest Beach Migratory Preserve and check for additional species at that site. Often our visit to that site coincides with their Big Sit event, and we may hike down to their hawk watch platform to join their bird count.
Trip registration opens on September 6, 2024.

“Facts, Fiction and Fun Stories about Owls” by Mary Holleback and Dan Wundrock
Oct. 9 (Wednesday), 7 p.m.
Hybrid live and Zoom program at Riveredge Nature Center; no registration required.

What’s a group of owls called?
How far away can an owl see at night?
How do they find their prey?
Just how good is their hearing?
Learn some fun trivia about a variety of Wisconsin’s most secretive night time avian predators. You might even find out “who cooks for you” or whoooooo’s the earliest nester in the state!
Mary is the naturalist and citizen science manager at Riveredge, serving as the onsite sturgeon project manager and director of the “Testing the Waters” high school water quality monitoring program. She holds a BA in conservation biology and an MS in curriculum and instruction from UW-Milwaukee.
Having done his undergrad and graduate work in biology, Dan spent the first 10 years of his career as a high school biology and special education teacher. He then spent the next 25+ years heading up science-based research and distribution companies. Dan brought his unique outdoor skills to Riveredge in 2012 as an environmental educator. He has spent numerous years researching and photographing birds in remote habitats of Lapland, Iceland, Newfoundland and Labrador and Alaska. Most recently he and three others traveled into a remote area of the Salonga National Park in Congo. While there they studied bonobos in an effort to ensure the survival of these endangered great apes as part of the Bonobo & Congo Biodiversity Initiative.

To join Zoom meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81623192214?pwd=zOa73Mmft0cnIW0V9LYKIbp80EKJ4B.1
Meeting ID: 816 2319 2214
Passcode: 258434

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Milwaukee Birders